Are you building a digital product, training AI on African languages, running a tech-for-good nonprofit, or developing open-source and internet-freedom tools? Here are 12 technology and AI funding opportunities open now, from startup prizes and research awards to grants of up to US$1.5 million. Each one has been checked against its official page.
Quick List by Deadline
- 26 Oct 2026: GSMA 4YFN Awards 2027 (€20,000 top prize)
- 30 Oct 2026: Atlassian Foundation Open Call (up to US$1 million)
- 31 Oct 2026: WISE EdTech Accelerator, Qatar Foundation
- 4 Nov 2026: Amazon Research Awards, Multilingual and Contextual AI (~$50K + $50K AWS credits)
- 6 Nov 2026: MIT Solve 2027 Global Climate Challenge
- 8 Nov 2026: Stellar Community Fund (up to $150K in XLM)
- Rolling: OTF Internet Freedom Fund, OTF Rapid Response Fund, DIV Fund, Solana Foundation Grants, UNDP timbuktoo HealthTech Launchpad, MDIF Amplify Kenya
1. GSMA 4YFN Awards 2027
Deadline: 26 October 2026, 17:00 CET
A global competition for digital startups, held at 4YFN during MWC Barcelona 2027 (1–3 March 2027). Prizes: the winner gets €20,000 from GSMA Foundry, plus a free stand at 4YFN 2028 and more. Each of the 5 finalists gets €2,500, and each of the Top 20 gets €1,500, an exhibition pod and passes. Eligibility: digital-tech startups that are incorporated and no more than seven years old (founded September 2019 or later), from any sector. Startups in sanctioned countries (Cuba, Iran, North Korea) cannot apply.
Official rules and application →
2. Atlassian Foundation Collective Action Open Call
Deadline: 30 October 2026, 11:59pm AEDT
The Atlassian Foundation is deploying US$8 million over two years to help learners from under-resourced communities thrive in the AI era. Selected partnerships can receive up to US$1 million over two years, plus a learning cohort and non-financial support, including Atlassian tools and expertise. It is for initiatives driving collective action in education, so that emerging technology closes gaps for disadvantaged learners.
3. WISE EdTech Accelerator (Qatar Foundation)
Deadline: 31 October 2026 (hard deadline)
An accelerator for for-profit edtech startups (nonprofits are not eligible). It offers coaching, investor access and visibility at the WISE Summit in Doha. It is open to startups in any country that are beyond the MVP stage, with traction and sales, usually seed to pre-Series A and having raised less than $500,000. K-12, higher education and professional development ventures are all eligible. Applications go through the Awards Force platform.
Official page and application →
4. Amazon Research Awards: Multilingual and Contextual AI Evaluation
Deadline: 4 November 2026, 11:59pm Pacific Time
A call for research proposals on building datasets and evaluation frameworks for low-resource languages, including African languages, as well as Indic, Southeast Asian, Latin American Indigenous and Middle Eastern languages. Awards: unrestricted funds averaging up to $50,000, plus AWS Promotional Credits averaging up to $50,000. Decisions are sent in February 2027.
5. MIT Solve 2027 Global Climate Challenge
Deadline: 6 November 2026, 12:00pm EST
MIT Solve is looking for technology-based solutions to human-focused, hard-to-solve parts of the climate crisis. Selected Solver teams receive an average of about $40,000 each and access to a pool of more than $1 million in prize funding, plus further funding opportunities during and after the programme. Solutions should be beyond the idea stage. Solve recommends starting early, because most applicants spend several hours on the application.
6. Stellar Community Fund (Build Awards)
Deadline: 8 November 2026
Awards of up to $150,000 in XLM for teams building on the Stellar blockchain network, such as payment solutions and financial-access tools.
7. Open Technology Fund: Internet Freedom Fund
Deadline: rolling
Funding for projects that advance internet freedom. Awards range from $10,000 to $900,000 for up to 24 months, and ideal requests are $50,000–$200,000 for 6–12 months. Individuals aged 18 or over and organisations (for-profit or nonprofit) of any nationality can apply. OTF cannot support applicants in countries under US trade restrictions or export sanctions.
8. Open Technology Fund: Rapid Response Fund
Deadline: rolling
Emergency support for digital emergencies affecting internet freedom, such as attacks on websites, journalists or activists. Direct financial support is typically up to $50,000 for six months or less, though larger requests can be considered. Applicants must be 18 or over.
9. DIV Fund (Development Innovation Ventures)
Deadline: rolling
Staged, milestone-based grants for innovations addressing challenges in low-, lower-middle- and upper-middle-income countries: up to $200,000 (Stage 1), up to $500,000 (Stage 2, and up to $750,000 in especially compelling cases), and up to $1.5 million for scaling. Applications are reviewed on expected impact, the strength of existing evidence, and the path to scale.
10. Solana Foundation Grants
Deadline: rolling
Grants for builders on the Solana blockchain, especially open-source projects. The Foundation also supports early-stage Solana builders in emerging markets, including Africa. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
11. UNDP timbuktoo HealthTech Launchpad
Deadline: rolling, in quarterly cohorts. Applications now go to Cohort 2, starting December 2026, and Cohort 1 has closed.
A pan-African incubation programme led by the UNDP timbuktoo HealthTech Hub in Kigali, Rwanda. It is open to health-tech startups based in Africa or building for African healthcare markets, in areas such as telemedicine, AI for health, and health supply chains. It includes up to 12 months of hybrid incubation through African incubators, a pan-African founder network and the timbuktoo LaunchPad digital platform.
Official call for applications →
12. MDIF Amplify Kenya
Deadline: rolling, until all places are filled
A capacity-building programme from the Media Development Investment Fund for Kenya-based digital and independent media organisations.
How to Apply
- Pick the calls that match your stage, sector and location, and read each one’s eligibility rules on its official page.
- Note the deadline and time zone. The fixed-deadline calls close between 26 October and 8 November 2026.
- Apply through the official link under each opportunity above. For rolling funds, apply when your proposal is ready.
More Startup and Tech Funding
- 100x Impact Accelerator 2027/28: £150,000 for Social Impact Ventures (closes 2 November 2026)
- Y Combinator Winter 2027: Get US$500,000 for Your Startup (closes 2 November 2026)
- Digital Africa Seed Fund 2026: Up to €2 Million for African Tech Startups
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of these funds have rolling deadlines?
The OTF Internet Freedom Fund, OTF Rapid Response Fund, DIV Fund, Solana Foundation Grants, UNDP timbuktoo HealthTech Launchpad (quarterly cohorts) and MDIF Amplify Kenya.
Which ones are specifically for Africa?
The UNDP timbuktoo HealthTech Launchpad (African health-tech startups) and MDIF Amplify Kenya (Kenya-based media). The Amazon Research Awards call specifically mentions African languages. Most of the others are open globally.
Which is the biggest?
The DIV Fund offers staged grants of up to $1.5 million, the Atlassian Foundation up to $1 million, and the OTF Internet Freedom Fund up to $900,000.
